Old Shire Hall (University Office)

Old Shire Hall, now serving as university offices, was built between 1896 and 1898 by architects H. Barnes and F.E. Coates, with extensions added in 1905 by Rankin of Sunderland. The building features bright red engineering brick with extensive terracotta decorations, while the extension includes sandstone ashlar dressings. It has graduated Lakeland slate roofs with terracotta crestings and a copper dome, all designed in a Baroque style.

The original structure consists of two storeys and a basement, with nine bays, including a subsidiary bay that is set back to the right. The central and end bays project, with the central bay topped by a square tower with a drum and dome, and the end bays featuring high Flemish gables. There are steps leading to the central entrance, which is framed by a wrought-iron screen within a keyed and rusticated architrave. The building has round-arched windows, paired on the first floor, and balustrades below these windows. The floor entablatures include an upper section with a modillion cornice and a blocking course. The chimneys are irregularly placed and corniced. The terra-cotta area balustrades rise to form handrails for the steps.

The extension has three wide bays, with stone and brick banding, and the left bay projects. The outer bays feature attic gables. An extruded porch with a stone dome is situated above a high shaped parapet. The windows are grouped in threes, with the lower ones set in keyed and rusticated architraves, and the upper ones are segment-headed with architraves and rusticated column jambs. The building has a stone modillioned continuous eaves cornice and dentil-corniced chimneys.

Inside, the hallways, staircases, principal rooms, and ante-rooms are richly decorated with terra-cotta and glazed tiles. There is high-quality woodwork by Robson and wrought-iron work by Singer of Frome throughout the interior, along with interesting stained glass that includes pictorial, didactic, and decorative elements.